2012-13 Big West basketball at a glance

Long Beach 49ers' James Ennis (11) steals the ball from UC Irvine's Daman Starring (22) during the 2012 Big West Tournament semifinals. Both Ennis and Starring return for this season. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Upside: Long Beach is becoming an attractive mid-major for players again, thanks to 47 victories over the last two seasons. It is a transitional year given how much the 49ers lost from last year's 25-9 team, but transfers Dan Jennings, Keala King, Tony Freeland and Edgar Garibay all saw significant playing time at their previous Division I stops. Versatile swingman James Ennis is a do-it-all type that every college team needs and returning point guard Mike Caffey appears ready to run the team on a full-time basis. The 49ers also have depth that may be unrivaled in the Big West.

Concerns: In clutch time, the 49ers always knew it could turn to two-time Big West player of the year Casper Ware. Who is going to be that go-to player in the final minutes of close games? King could be just that in time provided he earns Coach Dan Monson's trust and works within the framework of the team. They'll also have to replace T.J. Robinson's 10-plus rebounds per game, though there should be enough bulk inside to win the battle on the glass against most teams.

Outlook: Monson has said that his second year at Long Beach, in which it went 15-15, was the one where he felt he did his best coaching job during his tenure with the 49ers. He'll need to work to pull all the talented pieces together and make a cohesive whole. It means that they'll take a few lumps during their murderous non-conference schedule but there are winnable games against USC, Loyola Marymount and Fresno State. If they survive November and December, the 49ers will benefit and challenge for another Big West title.

CAL STATE FULLERTON

Upside: Heading into 2012-13, D.J. Seeley might be the clubhouse leader for Big West Conference Player of the Year after a junior season in which he was the fourth-leading scorer (17.3 ppg). Seeley's 43.3 percent shooting from three-point range – which approached a school record – makes him a threat from anywhere on the court. Point guard Kwame Vaughn averaged 15.6 points and 3.7 assists, giving the Titans an explosive backcourt. Transfers Deuce Johnson and Marquis Horne will have to make an immediate impact and help out 6-9 center John Underwood inside.

Concerns: How will Fullerton respond to its first season in a decade without Bob Burton, who went 153-122 with four 20-win seasons and a 2008 NCAA Tournament appearance, yet was nudged out the door in June? The Titans will turn to Andy Newman, a longtime Burton lieutenant who'll be eager to shed his interim tag. Newman has been groomed for the big chair but will his players view him any differently now that he is the boss? It doesn't help that he won't be on the bench for the first two games at Stanford and Nevada next week because of a suspension for a secondary violation of NCAA rules over the summer.

Outlook: The Titans will get up and down the court as their philosophy shouldn't change under Newman. And the presence of Seeley and Vaughn should help ease a few newcomers into the lineup. With UC Santa Barbara in transition and schools like Cal State Northridge, UC Davis and UC Riverside in clear building mode, Fullerton should finish in the top half of the Big West at the very least and challenge Long Beach State for the top spot if they get enough rebound and defense.

UC IRVINE

Upside: The Anteaters could be position for a breakthrough season. They return all five starters and 10 players from a 12-20 team that was playing some of its best basketball at the end of last season. Senior guard Michael Wilder is on the preseason All-Big West team. Fellow shooters Daman Starring and Chris McNealy are also capable of 20-point games. Sophomore forward Will Davis (7.8 points, 5.2 assists) set an Irvine single-season record with 55 blocks while senior center Adam Folker can score and rebound.

Concerns: How will Irvine fare against a challenging non-conference schedule that begins Saturday at home against Nevada and a game at UCLA on Tuesday? Other tests include visits to Pepperdine, Nevada Las Vegas, Fresno State, Weber State and USC along with the first-ever appearance by LSU at the Bren Center. While Folker is able to give them some effective play inside, it is neutralized by his poor free-throw shooting (34.2 percent on a team-high 111 attempts). The Anteaters have to improve defensively – they allowed 70 points or more on 19 occasions.

Outlook: Few teams today in college basketball can say they bring back nearly their entire team from the previous season. The experienced Anteaters should be toughened up when they hit Big West play, although it might have them saddled with a losing record in December. Time will tell if their confidence is shaken by a number of losses or if they use the experience to establish themselves as a league title contender and a worthy challenge to rival Long Beach State.

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